British propaganda leaflet at outbreak of WII

[StefanM]

Without wanting to get into the controversy as to whether Britain and France met its treaty obligations with Poland at the outbreak of war with Germany by dropping propaganda leaflets over Germany rather than bombing its cities, I thought I would post a copy of the "DARUM KRIEG" leaflet that was dropped.

I found a copy of the multi-page, fold-out leaflet is at the National Archives at Kew in a file together with the supporting memos about the creation of the leaflet and the cabinet decision taken in May 1939 that at the immediate outbreak of war propaganda leaflets would be dropped over Germany before any full scale retaliatory military action was taken.




The photo montage and text was supposed to suggest the military might of both Great Britain and France and the futility of the Germans to oppose such mighty forces.

[sandgroper]

How interesting! I wish it had an English translation, I'd be interested in reading that. It's always interesting reading the German propaganda leaflets that were dropped on allied soldiers etc...I imagine this one to be quite interesting as it was aimed at the general German population.

[StefanM]

How interesting! I wish it had an English translation, I'd be interested in reading that. It's always interesting reading the German propaganda leaflets that were dropped on allied soldiers etc...I imagine this one to be quite interesting as it was aimed at the general German population.

I will upload the original typescript which was then translated into German

[StefanM]

The original English typescript for the "DARUM KRIEG" propaganda leaflet that was dropped over Germany in September 1939:







Below is a memo about the perceived effectiveness of the propaganda leaflet drops....the memo dated 19 September (1939).

[sandgroper]

How fascinating to read! Thanks for posting the translation.

[StefanM]

The various governmental memos and documents about the leaflet drop reveal that HMG was hoping to avoid getting into a combat war that would bring German bombers over British cities...even though war had already been declared.

These propaganda leaflet drops were called "Pamphlet raids" or the "Confetti War" in the British press.